# The Salty Bible

## 1. Organization

**1.1.** Use a consistent file structure: `%albumartist%/%albumtitle% (%albumedition%)/%disc%-$pad(%track%, 2). %title%` as the minimum with the edition part present only where applicable.

**1.2.** Lowercase all file extensions.

**1.3.** Include an AccurateRip for all releases with a rip log.

**1.4.** Do not keep M3U files.

**1.5.** Use proper physically identifiable names for scans.

**1.6.** Do not merge releases.

**1.7.** Do not pick apart releases.

## 2. Formats

**2.1.** Encode all lossless audio to FLAC with the highest compression level.

**2.2.** Prefer OPUS and MP3 over other lossy formats.

**2.3.** Do not encode lossy to lossless or lossless to lossy.

**2.4.** Keep covers square whenever possible, crop/resize if feasible.

**2.5.** Keep the size of square covers to multiples of 100px.

**2.6.** Keep the minimum cover size to 1000x1000px.

**2.7.** Prefer 100%LOG CD rips over 16bit/44kHz WEB rips.

**2.8.** Convert all lossless scans to PNG.

**2.9.** Do not transliterate langauges.

**2.10.** Avoid vinyl/cassette rips if possible.

**2.11.** Avoid MQA if possible, mark it if its unavoidable.

**2.12.** Split range rips to separate tracks.

## 3. Tags

**3.1.** Use "Various Artists" for various artists.

**3.2.** Fill at least the following tags: TITLE, ARTIST, ALBUMTITLE, ALBUMARTIST, DATE, TRACKNUMBER, TRACKTOTAL, DISCNUMBER, DISCTOTAL.

**3.3.** Do not use multi-valued tags for any tags except ARTIST and GENRE.

**3.4.** Do not embed covers, scans or cuesheets.

**3.5.** Do not keep XMP and EXIF data in images.

**3.6.** Do not use fancy unicode symbols for common punctuation marks.

**3.7.** Do not include featured artists in track titles.

**3.8.** Do not move "The" to the end of an artist name.
